Cape Counseling Newsletter • Fall/Winter 2013
Cape Counseling Behavioral Health Services ~ 128 Crest Haven Road, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 Tel: 609-465-4100 Visit online at www.capecounseling.org or like us on Facebook
HAPPY HOLIDAYS?? A Journey Through Grief By Elaine Kunigonis, APN-BC
CEO’s Corner!
Cape Counseling Services Welcomes Dr. Marie Elaina Hasson
For those who have lost a loved one, the upcoming holiday may be especially stressful. Identifying the meaning of grief and the intense feelings associated with its process may validate what you, your loved ones or our clients are experiencing as a “normal” process. I hope you find the following information helpful and comforting always remembering that grief is a journey having a Beginning, a Middle and an End. Most Frequently Asked Questions 1.
What is grief? Grief is a process which an individual experiences emotionally, physically and socially after a loss.
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What are the feelings associated with grief? Denial, anger, sadness, depression, and guilt are some feelings associated with grief.
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Is what I’m experiencing normal? Yes, grieving is a normal and natural process.
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Am I going crazy? No, it may feel crazy because of the extreme feelings which come and go like waves but his is normal.
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Can one’s grief also be experienced in physical ways? Yes, some individuals may experience headaches, difficulty sleeping, abdominal pain, frequent colds, lack of energy. (It’s always important to be checked by your doctor to rule out any physical problems).
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Who grieves? Everyone, children, teens, adults-men and women.
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Does grief come in waves? Yes, triggers often cause intense feelings. Those special people, places or things that remind you of your loved one can often flood with emotions. This is very normal. Many individuals report that with so many ups and downs it’s like riding an “uncontrollable rollercoaster”.
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Is there a special way to grieve? No, grieving is a very individual process, as individual as a fingerprint. Becoming educated about the process will help you decide what is best for you.
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How long does the pain last? The intensity and duration of the pain changes. The length of one’s grief is also very individual, but generally the pain will lessen as one works through their grief. You will never forget your loved one, therefore, throughout your life you may experience short periods of grief.
By: Greg Speed CEO Cape Counseling Services was pleased to welcome Dr. Marie Hasson MD as its 1st full-time Medical Director. Dr. Hasson joined the staff on October 15th 2013 after serving as the Medical Director at Carrier Clinic. Dr. Hasson graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 1995 with her MD. She has served as the Chair in the Department of Psychiatry at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center where she also served as the Medical Director from May 2008 to 2011. Additional employment experience included her role as the Medical Director at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital between May 31, 2005 and May 30, 2008. She also served as the Associate Medical Director at Atlantic City Medical Center, Mainland Division, Short Term Care Facility, and Department of Psychiatry from July 1999 to November 2001. Dr. Hasson is Board Certified and also has a number of publications and presentations to professional organizations as part of her Curriculum Vitae. Dr. Hasson was interviewed by the entire Leadership team and spent a full day at Cape Counseling Services during the summer of 2013. Through the course of the interview process, it was obvious to the Leadership team and especially the CEO, that Dr. Hasson was dedicated to exceptional patient care. All of the Leadership team had an extremely positive connection with her immediately. We are blessed to have her on our staff and I know that she will provide effective, strong medical leadership for Cape Counseling Services.
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Children’s Partial Care Open House and Ribbon Cutting On October 23rd, the CEO was pleased to welcome family members, community partners and, of course, our CPC clients to the formal grandopening and ribbon cutting of Cape’s new facility. Sam Totora, Director of Children and Family services provided opening remarks about the program’s history. The overview for the Children’s Partial Care current program was provided by Minerva Rosado, Program Manager. Partial Care Counselors also provided brief presentations on the following modalities which serve as a critical component of the treatment process: • • •
Dialectic Behavioral Therapy – Melanie Embert Adventure Based Counseling – Steven Ennis Individual and Family Therapy – Jennifer Hart
A wonderful part of the program involved the children demonstrating aspects of the aforementioned treatment components. They did a wonderful job especially in front of such a large audience. In a twist of the children’s ingenuity, colorful crape paper was used instead of a ribbon to officially “open” the facility. Thanks to the staff and children for your wonderful efforts in making this day a huge success!
Gift Wrapping Fundraiser being held at Kmart in Rio Grande from December 16th through December 24th. All proceeds being donated to Family Success Center and Children’s Partial Care Programs. Volunteer Sign-up sheet in store at Kmart or contact Cathy Leahy at 778-6116 for more details. Thanks to Allan Ginsberg, CCS Board Member, for organizing the Fundraiser.
Family Success Center Award Cape Counseling Services has been awarded a grant in the amount of $194,000 over a 24 month period from September 1, 2013 through September 30th, 2015 to address the psycho-social, emotional needs of individuals, children’s and families who have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Specific services for the expanded programs at the Family Success Center include but are not limited to: trauma informed training; free onsite psycho-social services to help families reduce stress, and increased programing specific to information on “How to address Hurricane Sandy related losses, inclusive of financial, emotional, physical and social. The Family Success Center Sandy Relief Expansion funding dovetails very nicely with Cape Counseling’s ‘Project Restoring Hope,’ a program under the direction of Kathy Reeves. Project Restoring Hope provides trauma informed clinical treatment and case management services. Several of the families who are clients of the Family Success Center have already participated in Project Restoring Hope. With the expanded program, 2 positions will be funded, a full time 40 hours per week case manager and a part-time, 25 hours per week case manager. Referrals are welcome. Call Alison Raisch at 609-778-6225.
I would also like to wish all our consumers, staff, Board of Directors and everyone in Cape May County, a very happy, healthy and safe Holiday Season!
10. What happened to the family and friends who said they would be there for me? Many times family and friends may draw back because they are confused and not sure what to do. It’s important to tell family and friends what you need. The A, B, C’s of Taking Care of You A – Allow yourself to express your feelings: Talking Journaling Attending a Support Group Meeting with a grief counselor B – Breathing – Relaxation techniques such as: Taking deep breaths when stressed Slow chest breathing Meditation C – Communication with others. Let them know how you feel and what you need: Family Friends Group D – Don’t isolate yourself: Support is very important at the time You are very vulnerable Support systems can be extremely helpful E – Exercise is a great way to take care of yourself and your grief. Walking Aerobics Bicycling Swimming Golfing SYMPTOMS OF NORMAL GRIEF PYYSICAL SENSATION TIGHTNESS IN CHEST TIGHTNESS IN THROAT OVER-SENSITIVITY TO NOISE DEPERSONALIZATION BREATHLESSNESS WEAKNESS IN MUSCLES LACK OF ENERGY DRY MOUTH HOLLOWNESS IN STOMACH SIGHING
BEHAVIORS SLEEP DISTURBANCES APPETITE DISTURBANCES ABSENT-MINDEDNESS SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL DREAMS OF THE DECEASED AVOIDANCE OF REMINDERS SEARCHING /CALLING OUT RESTLESSNESS/OVER ACTIVITY CRYING CLINGING TO REMINDERS TREASURING OBJECTS OF THE DECEASED
FEELINGS SADNESS ANGER GUILT/SELF REPROACH ANXIETY LONELINESS HALLUCINATIONS FATIGUE/BONE-TIREDNESS HELPLESSNESS SHOCK YEARNINGS NUMBNESS EMANICIPATION RELIEF
COGNITIONS DISBELIEF CONFUSION PREOCUPATION SENSE OF PRESENCE AUDITORY/VISUAL
Bibliography: Worden, J.W.; GRIEF COUNSELING AND GRIEF THERAPY, NY, SPRINGER PUBLISHIN CO, 1982/PP20-28
New Groups at Cape Counseling Services On October 2nd, the Outpatient Therapy Department started an Anxiety Group facilitated by Kevin Cook. This is a weekly group, with the maximum of 8 group members lasting for 8 consecutive weeks. The group is focused on developing a supportive environment for people experiencing anxiety to become educated on anxiety disorders. The group uses models utilized in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy but not entirely CBT. The group is encouraged to be collaborative in identifying mental traps that are causing their anxieties and to be proactive in learning coping strategies to overcome anxieties when experienced. The group is encouraged to track coping skills they are using weekly on a tracking sheet. The outcome for this group is to develop education on their anxiety disorders and developing strategies to learn to control anxieties behaviorally in a supportive group environment. The next 8 week enrollment starts on 11-27-13.
Bereavement is always difficult and brings some feelings of grief, sadness, anxiety, loneliness. Eventually we learn to deal with the feelings and continue with our lives so that the strength of the initial reaction weakens. When bereavement is unexpected or sudden its emotional impact can be much more intense so that it can interfere with our everyday lives for many years to come. Traumatic bereavement is the loss of a loved one (e.g., parent, sibling, friend, spouse) that could not have been anticipated. The death might be due to an accident, a disaster, homicide, suicide or an illness from which the person was expected to recover. CCS will offer a new group for persons who have experienced a traumatic loss. There will be information about the effects of traumatic loss, help in developing ways to deal with the impact of the loss and an opportunity for each group member to tell his/her story of individual loss.
Traumatic Bereavement Group will meet for seven Tuesday evening, beginning 12 November from 6 to 7:30 pm. This group is open to clients of Cape Counseling (18 and older). For more information please call Steve Alfano – 465-4100 Ext. 6373. The generous staff of Cape Counseling Services prevail once again! Numerous bags of food and gift cards were donated to the CCS Family Center for Thanksgiving distribution. Thank you all ~for your contributions!!!
Canvas Paintings by a Very Talented Youth Supportive Housing Consumer It all started through High School, I always loved Art. It was a fun way to be creative and let out anything that I felt I should on my paintings. Every one has a story behind it but that’s for the viewer to find out!
WOW! Noel Hiers is CCS’ Own Wonder Woman! Move over Linda Carter! There is a new Wonder Woman in town! By Sam Totora, Director of Children & Families Noel Hiers, the Manager of School Based Youth Services at the Cape May County Technical High School has been selected as the 2013 Woman of Wonder by the Women of Wonder League. Noel has been selected for this award for her work with adolescents in Cape May County. Dr. Patricia A Gentile, Dean of Enrollment Management, Advancement & Cape May County Campus, and Executive Director of Atlantic Cape Foundation, announced the award. She stated: “Our committee selected Noel because her dedication to youth at Tech (Cape May County Technical High School), passion for helping those facing financial, emotional, or physical need, and supporting those students when most vulnerable on a daily basis lead us to know that Noel Hiers is one of our community’s unsung superheros.” The award is sponsored by Atlantic Cape Community College in cooperation with Compact, raising money for at-risk teens to enroll in college courses. School Based Youth Services has sponsored their own scholarships for the students of the Technical High School over the past several years, this year offering a $2000.00 award to one student, and a $100 award for the runner up. But the Scholarship is only one of the many accomplishments Noel has achieved in her role as program manager over the last seven and a half years. Noel has brought the Annual Game of Life to Tech, where students are given real life scenarios and must solve these life challenges by meeting with representatives of businesses and social service agencies to develop solutions for their problems. Other events include Financial Fun Night, Mix-It-Up Lunch Day, River Clean-up, After Prom activities, and Ski Trips, to name a few. Noel is also the Coordinator of the local chapter of the Traumatic Loss Coalition. The Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth Program (TLC) at UMDNJ-University Behavioral HealthCare is New Jersey’s primary youth suicide prevention program funded by the Department of Children & Families, Division of Children’s System of Care (DCSOC). As the Coordinator, Noel arranges meetings throughout the year to review traumatic loss events, identifying service needs, and providing professional development through the inclusion of an educational component. She also works within Cape May County to direct a Lead Response Team (LRT) to assist schools when needed following a traumatic loss event. Post-Traumatic Stress Management (PTSM), Psychological First Aid (PFA), Classroom, Culture and Community Based Intervention (CBI) and Traumatic Incident Intervention (TII) trainings are provided for members of these teams. Noel receives her award at the “Women of Wonder League SuperSecret Annual Convocation” on October 29th 2013. With a “super-secret location” and invitation going out to the many “superhero sidekicks” who may want to join Noel in receiving her honor, you might think this is tongue-in-check. But “Blam! Pow! It’s not! It is an honor for Noel to receive this award (joining the Wall of Fame with previous recipients from the Oddessey Program and CARA – the Coalition Against Rape and Abuse), and it is an honor to have her among the ranks of Cape Counseling Services.
Obama Call Heralds Health Insurance Marketplace
On September 16, 2013, Director of Children and Family Services Sam Totora and Family Success Center of Cape May County Manager Allison Raisch participated in a conference call with President Barack Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to discuss the October 1, 2013 launch of the Health Insurance Marketplace. A major step in the implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act, the Health Insurance Marketplace will help millions of Americans access affordable, high quality health coverage. The Family Success Center is proud to be of service in assisting residents of Cape May County in understanding the benefits of the healthcare act and assisting residents in the application process. The staff will be trained to be Certified Application Counselors ready to provide this service free of charge in the interest of getting everyone in Cape May County insured. President Obama wanted to personally reach out and thank all of the community leaders across the country who are volunteering to support their communities in this way. Though the applications will not be available until October 1 there are 7 things that a family can do to prepare for the application process. 1. Learn about different types of health insurance. Through the Marketplace, you’ll be able to choose a health plan that gives you the right balance of costs and coverage. 2. Make a list of questions you have before it’s time to choose your health plan. For example, “Can I stay with my current doctor?” or “Will this plan cover my health costs when I’m traveling?” 3. Make sure you understand how insurance works, including deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, co-payments, etc. You’ll want to consider these details while you’re shopping around. Visit www.HealthCare.gov to learn more about how insurance works. 4. Start gathering basic information about your household income. Most people will qualify to get a break on costs, and you’ll need income information to find out how much you’re eligible for. 5. Set your budget. There will be different types of health plans to meet a variety of needs and budgets, and breaking them down by cost can help narrow your choices. 6. Find out from your employer whether they plan to offer health insurance, especially if you work for a small business. 7. Explore current options. You may be able to get help with insurance now, through existing programs or changes that are in effect already from the new health care law. Visit www.HealthCare.gov for information about health insurance for adults up to age 26, children in families with limited incomes (CHIP), and Medicare for people who are over 65 or have disabilities. And, beginning October 1, 2013, you may come to the Family Success Center of Cape May County and speak to a Certified Application Counselor to get assistance with your application. The Family Success Center is located 1046 Route 47.Rio Grande, NJ 08242 behind the Social Security Building. You may call Allison Raisch, Family Success Center Program Manager, 609-778-6226 for more information. Visit http://www.HealthCare.gov to learn more about the Marketplace. Visit www.capecounseling.org to learn more about our services. Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FamilySuccessCenterOfCapeMayCounty
Project Restoring Hope Empowering Cape May County By Marge Linn, LPC, LCADC Project Restoring Hope Trauma Clinician Project Restoring Hope, the new program offered here at Cape Counseling Services, has been well under way for over 5 months. This program funded by the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund provides trauma resolution therapy, and case management specific services, either in an individuals’ home, or at the Project Restoring Hope office located at 1129 Route 9 South in Cape May Courthouse. All services are provided free of charge to the consumer. Since its’ inception, Project Restoring Hope has provided assistance to over 20 individuals in the Cape May County area. These residents who were most affected by SuperStorm Sandy include the unemployed/underemployed, elderly, non-documented, renters with no flood insurance, Spanish speaking residents, and those isolated and/or alone. Project Restoring Hope has assisted these individuals with their unmet needs; both emotional and physical, including help accessing appropriate community services. Many of these individuals experienced psychological trauma, and have limited resources available in order to rebuild their homes and their lives. Our goals have been to assist these individuals most impacted by SuperStorm Sandy, to resolve trauma symptoms, recover, and return to a normal level of functioning as quickly as possible. In addition to these services, Project Restoring Hope will be providing a series of presentations at the Cape May County Library on Psychological First Aid. The schedule of training events include; Internal versus External Locus of Control (Wednesday January 29th, 2014 6:00-7:30 pm), Stress Reduction Techniques: Meditation/Visual Imagery/Deep Breathing (Wednesday February 26th, 2014 6:00-7:30pm) and Cognitive Distortions (Monday March 31st, 2014 6:00-7:30pm). Please come join us in supporting the recovery and rebuilding efforts of Cape May County communities. As we pass the one year anniversary of SuperStorm Sandy many people in the community are continuing to understand, cope, and recover. Should you know someone who is experiencing psychological trauma as a result of SuperStorm Sandy, please feel free to contact Kathy Reeves, LCSW, Director of Performance Improvement, Compliance and Disaster Relief Services at 609-778-6119 or email at kreeves@capecounseling.org
Rainbow of Hope: Consumer Story I hear so many stories of hardships, challenges, and survival. September 10, 2013 was National Suicide Prevention Day. On this day, a youth from Rainbow of Hope had the opportunity to speak at a conference held by NJAMHAA. Our resident chose to share her story with those in attendance and described how participating in the ROH program has improved her life. Her family was able attend this event and show their support. Below is her speech: My story began a few years ago when I was struggling with depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation, insecurities, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. On August 12, 2011, I had my first visit to crisis. If you would have seen me then, you would have seen a scared and scarred person who had trouble smiling. That was the beginning of a long journey of multiple programs with multiple therapists. After being discharged from a partial care program, I was hospitalized three times. All in January and February of this past year for self-harm, depression, suicidal thoughts, and one suicide attempt. After a nine week hospitalization, I was transitioned into Cape Counseling’s Psychiatric Community Residence, Rainbow of Hope on April 15, 2013. Almost five months later, I stand in front of you. I am a much different person than I used to be. What has changed about me now? Well, I smile a lot more now and I am not ashamed to do so. I wear more comfortable clothes, particularly in the summer such as shorts and tank tops. I am no longer too embarrassed to let people see my scars. I am more accepting of who I am as a person. I have allowed my mother back into my life and we are working on our bruised relationship.
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If you saw me on a day to day basis, you will almost constantly see me doing something to keep myself occupied; whether I am reading, writing, listening to music, eating, engaging in a conversation, playing a game, or sleeping, you will never see me just sitting there. I am also a lot more confident than I was this time last year. I have accepted myself for who I am and I am working on building a more safe and positive character. Part of learning to be confident, was learning to accept that I did not like boys. I realized I was a lesbian around third grade and I was very insecure about it. I did not want anyone to know and the people I did tell were not very supportive or accepting. Now I am a lot more confident and proud of my sexuality and am very open about my attraction to and relationships with girls. I used to be scared to let anyone know. I am also a lot more confident with my body, personality, and relationships. These are all a result of the mental health services I have received. After I move on from Rainbow of Hope, I will be returning to my former school with kids I have been learning with since fourth grade. This is a large step for me as I used to make excuses to get out of going to school. I was bullied for things I was once insecure about. I am very interested in continuing to improve my family relationships. I have been clean from self-harm for over seven months and will continue to use my positive coping alternatives to hurting myself. Some of my longer term goals include graduating from high school with my class in 2017, move out of my parent’s house, and start my freshman year of college. I would like to advocate for civil rights, marry a beautiful woman, and adopt two children with her. Becoming mentally healthy has helped me acknowledge more reasons to live my life and have hope for the future. For now, I am just trying to take my life day by day and work towards my discharge plan from my current placement. Thank you to all of the people here today that advocate for mental health services. It makes a world of difference. Thank you for listening to my story.
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If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help immediately, please go to your nearest Emergency Room, call 911 or call 609-465-5999.